1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cogeneration system, and, more particularly, to a cogeneration system wherein a generator, a drive source adapted to drive the generator, and a waste heat recoverer adapted to recover waste heat from the drive source are arranged in a single chassis.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a conventional cogeneration system.
As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional cogeneration system includes a generator 2 to generate electricity, a drive source 10, which operates to drive the generator 2, and generates waste heat during operation thereof, such as an engine (hereinafter, the drive source 10 will be referred to as an “engine”), a waste heat recoverer 20 to recover waste heat generated from the engine 10, and a heat consumer 30 to use the waste heat recovered by the waste heat recoverer 20, such as a thermal storage tank.
The electricity generated from the generator 2 is supplied to various electric home appliances including the heat pump type air conditioner 4 and various home illumination devices.
The waste heat recoverer 20 includes an exhaust gas heat exchanger 22 to absorb heat from exhaust gas discharged from the engine 10, and a cooling water heat exchanger 24 to absorb heat from cooling water used to cool the engine 10.
The exhaust gas heat exchanger 22 is connected with the heat consumer 30 via a first heat supply line 23. Accordingly, the exhaust gas heat exchanger 22 can transfer the waste heat absorbed from the exhaust gas of the engine 10 to the heat consumer 30 via the first heat supply line 23. As mentioned above, the heat consumer 30 may be a thermal storage tank.
The cooling water heat exchanger 24 is connected with the heat consumer 30 via a second heat supply line 24. Accordingly, the cooling water heat exchanger 24 can transfer the waste heat absorbed from the cooling water of the engine 10 to the heat consumer 30 via the second heat supply line 24.
In the conventional cogeneration system having the above-mentioned configuration, however, the generator 2, engine 10, exhaust gas heat exchanger 22, and cooling water heat exchanger 24 are arranged in separate units, respectively. Accordingly, the conventional cogeneration system has problems of a complex arrangement, sophisticated control operations, a degradation in operability, and a reduction in the amount of waste heat transferred to the heat consumer 30.